Railroad track structure



Dec. 15, 1931. v w, DALTQN 1,836,749

RAILROAD TRACK S TRUC TURE Filed Nov. 29, 1930 Invent-or: Wi 1 11am Dalton Wm W H is Attorneys.

Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE W'ILLIAM DALTON, OF SCHENEGTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF TO HmERT S. CLARKE, 01F ALBANY, NEW YORK RAILROAD TRACK QETtUOTURE Application filed November 29, 1930. llcrlal 1%. 499,039.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of a rail fastener consisting of a single piece which is inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

3 Another object of my invention is the provision of a rail fastener of the foregoing character which continuously engages the flange of the rail and the bottom of the tie plate under the service conditions to which it is 10 subiected, thereby preventing wear between the rail fastener and the associated parts and consequently the rattle that is commonly incident to devices of this character.

My invention will bestbe understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which l have illustrated preferred embodiment of my invention and in which Fl 1 is a perspective view of railroad structure embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of l ig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken along the line of 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig.

3 illustrating my invention in connection with a wooden tie, and Fig. 5 is a perspective w view of the single piece rail fastener embodymg my invention.

Lilre reference characters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

Referring to the drawings indicates gen 5 orally a steel tie which. in the embodiment illustrated, comprises two rail sections 101 and 102 which are located side byside and which may be secured together at their ends by metallic members in a manner Well under.- stood in the art, and in a manner not illustrated in the drawings. A tie plate 11 of usual form is supported upon the tie 10 and may be welded to the rail sections 101 and 102 forming the tie as at 12. The tie plate is provided with vertical openings 13 on each side ofthe rail as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and which register with the space between the rail sections 101 and 102 of the tie. A track rail 14 which may be of usual form and size is supported on the tie plate 11. It will, of course, be understood that a given rail spans a plurality of tie plates which are positioned on successive ties.

The rail fastener for securing the rail to 50 the tie plate and which embodies my present invention, is formed of a single elongated piece 15 of spring metal, preferably of spring steel. in the embodiment of my invention illustrated, the fastened is preferably vided with a loop or coil 16, the free on s 17 and 18 of the fastener extending laterally away from the loop. The ends of the fastene'r are bent out of alignment with the main portion of the loop as best shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the two end portions being located side by side. The ends of the fastener are preferably rounded as at 19. When the fastener is driven into position, the rounded end of the fastener permits it readily to ride downwardly over the wall surrounding the tie plate which it engages and past the lower edge.

The free ends of the fastener are preferably curved, and the center of curvature of the lower free end when the fastener is positioned to secure the rail to the tie plate as indicated at the left of Fig. 3, is located near the point of engagement of the upper free end of the fastener with the upper portion of a flange of the rail as indicated at a in Fig. 3.

To insert a rail fastener in position to fasten the rail to the tie plate, the upper free end 17 of the fastener is placed in engagement with the upper portion of the flange of the rail as indicated at the right in Fig. 3., while the lower free end 18 of the fastener is inserted into the opening 13 until it occupies a position adjacent to or in engagement with the lower edge 20 of the wall surrounding the opening 13 of the tie plate. The lower end of the loop 16 engages the upper and outer edge 21 of the wall surrounding the opening 13, and such engagement prevents iltlsertionof the fastener uptil force gs applie thereto. B a' 1 'ng orce to t e upper end of the 100 1 0 a liy hitting it with a hammer. the lower rounded end 18 of the fastener rides over the lower edge 20,0f the vertical wall surrounding the opening 13 of the tie plate. The rail fastener thus forms a three-point engagement between the rail and the tie plate, the upper free end of the rail fastener engaging the upper side of the flange of the rail, the lower free end of the rail fastener engaging the lower side of the tie plate, and the lower portion of the loop under the wave action of the rail occasioned by the movement of the rolling stock thereover and which, as is well understood, causes relative movement between the rail and the tie plate. Under such conditions, the resiliency of the rail fastener embodying my invention permits such relative movement without disengagement from the flange of the rail or the tie plate with the result that there is little, if any, wear between the two and consequently, the parts are not loosened and do not rattle after they have been in service for a period of time as is common with other rail fasteners with which I am familiar, and which commonly comprise at least two metallic pieces.

It will also be noted that the rail fastener can be removed from engagement with the associated parts only when force is applied to the upper portion 23 of the loop 16 and in the direction generally indicated by the arrow 25 at the left of Fig. 3. No such force is exerted on the rail fastener in service with the result that there is no tendency for the rail fastener to become loose under service conditions.

In Fig. 4, I have illustrated a slightly modified form of the rail fastening structure which is used with wooden ties. With the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the lower free ends 18 of the tie fastener may extend below the tie plate as the spaces between the rail sect-ions 101 and 102 of the tie accommodate the ends of the fastener. lVith wooden ties, however, it is desirable that the lower side of the tie plate adjacent to the opening 1866 be recessed as at 24:, to accommodate the lower free end of the fastener. The fastener is placed in position, in the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, in the same manner as'that described in connection with Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and which will readily be understood.

What I claim is 1. The combination of a metallic supporting structure having an opening and a track rail mounted on said supporting structure, of a single piece of spring metal extending through said opening and formed with a loop, the ends of which piece engage the upper port on of the flange of said rail and the under side of said supporting structure, respectively, an intermediate portion of said piece engaging a wall of said opening.

2. The combination of a metallic supporting structure having an opening and a track rail mounted on said supporting structure, of a single piece of spring metal extending through said opening and formed with a loop,

the ends of which piece are turned away from said loop and engage the upper portion of the flange of said rail and the under side of said supporting structure, respectively, an intermediate portion of said piece engaging a vertical wall of said opening.

3. The combination of a metallic supporting structure having an opening and a track rail mounted on said supporting structure, of a single piece of spring metal extending through said opening and formed with a loop, the ends of which piece are rounded and engage the upper portion of the flange of said rail and the under side of said supporting structure, respectively, an intermediate portion of said piece engaging a vertical wall of said opening.

l. The combination of a metallic supporting structure having an opening and a track rail mounted on said supporting structure, of a single piece of spring metal extending through said opening and formed with a loop, the ends of which piece are turned away from said loop and engage the upper portion of the flange of said rail and the under side of said supporting structure, respectively, an intermediate portion of said piece engaging a vertical wall of said opening, and the lower end of said fastener being formed on theiarc of a circle the center of curvature of which is located near the other end of said fastener.

5. The combination of a metallic supporting structure having an opening and a track rail mounted on said supporting structure, of a single piece of spring metal extending through said opening and formed with a loop, the ends of which piece are turned away from said loop and engage the upper portion of a flange of said rail and the under side of said supporting structure, respectively, the upper portion of said loop being wider than the lower portion thereof, and an intermediate portion of said piece engaging a vertical wall of said opening.

6. The combination of a metallic supporting structure having an opening and a track rail mounted on said supporting structure, of a single piece of spring metal substantially rectangular in cross section, through said opening and formed with a loop, the ends of which piece are turned away from said loop and engage the upper portion of a flange of said rail and the under side of said supporting structure, respectively, an intermediate portion of said piece engaging a vertical wall of said opening.

7. A device for fastening a rail to a tie plate formed of a single piece of spring metal having a loop and ends extending outwardly away from said loop, one of the free ends of said device being formed on a curve, the center of curvature of which is located near the other free endof said piece.

8. The combination of a tie plate having an opening and a track rail mounted on said extending tie plate, said tie plate being provided on its lower side with a recess ad acent said open-- ing and extending beneath said track rail, of a single piece of spring metal extending through said opening and havin one end engaging the upper portion of the ange of said rail and the opposite end being located within said recess.

9. The combination of a metallic supporting structure havin an opening and 'a track rail mounted on sai supporting structure, of

a single elongated piece of spring metal formed with a loop extending through said opening and having ortions engaging the upper portion of a ange of said rail, the under side of said supporting structure an a wall of said opening respectively.

WILLIAM DALTON. 

